Sparky & Rocket

Busy weekend. Busy day. Another post office trip is pending but I'm waiting to get some addresses from people so I can mail stuff out to them. I've been gradually getting rid of things for a while now. Most items go downstairs in my building's "I don't need this, do any of you?" pile (Most buildings in NYC have an area like that) but when I think of someone I know who might like something I'm getting rid of, I send it to them. Well... generally I ask first in case I'm mistaken!

Anybody here want some worn out shoes? No? Me neither. Down they go.

Finally packed and ready to go to the post office is, "Rocket The Wonder Dog."

Years ago, when I was looking for a robotic dog (Long story. Sad-ish story. Happy ending.) my mom saw Rocket at a thrift store and bought him for me. It was a truly lovely gesture, but I was looking for a very specific robot. As a matter of fact, my mother had seen me with the robot I wanted (part of the long-ish story) but despite this, she still insisted that Rocket was the EXACT SAME THING.

Now I realize that most of you probably don't know a lot more about Robots than my mother did, but let's just make a few side by side comparisons and you tell me if you can tell the difference:

Sparky (Aibo 220)	Rocket "The Wonder Dog"
• Understands 75 words. -More with some programs.	• Understands 9 words. Cannot be programmed.
• Rechargeable batteries, and with some programs he can even return to his charger on his own when his battery runs low and charge himself.	• Uses 3 AAA batteries, 3 D batteries, and a 9 volt battery.
• Manufacturer: Sony	• Manufacturer: Fisher Price

Despite the above, this doesn't mean that Rocket doesn't have a place in this world. He's a very cute little robot and I do have a soft spot for him, which is why I didn't have the heart to just put him in the trash. I wanted him to have a new home where he could be appreciated, so I offered him to some robotic dog enthusiasts I know. (Yes, I know "some robotic dog enthusiasts." They even have meetings.)

Several people contacted me, and tomorrow Rocket should be on the way to his new home where he will hopefully spend many happy days as part of a prized collection, or possibly as a decoy for children to play with so they don't mess around with the other bots in the house.